Finish composition for fibers



United States Patent 3,549,530 FINISH COMPOSITION FOR FIBERS Thomas Jefferson Prolfitt, Jr., Kinston, N.C., assignor to E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Filed Mar. 7, 1967, Ser. No. 621,132 Int. Cl. D06m 13/44 U.S. Cl. 2528.8 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention concerns a finish composition containing 1) an alcohol of the formula R(OCH CH -OH where R is a secondary alkyl group having 11 to 15 carbon atoms, (2) the triethanolamine salt of a mixture of monoand didecylorthophosphate, and (3) an ethylene oxide condensate of sorbitan monolaurate having on the average four ethylene oxide units.

Many finishes are known to the prior art. These finishes are not only specific in composition but are quite frequently specific with respect to the fibers on which they can be used. A slight change in the finish composition will result in undesirable properties which present problems affecting their processability. One problem is the formation of a gel when the finish contains small quantities of water. While the prior art finishes are diluted with large quantities of water for their general application to fibers, the water evaporates upon application to the fibers and as the water content of the finish decreases to less than 20 percent by weight, a gel often forms on the fiber to ad versely affect the processability. The composition of the present invention has overcome this drawback of the formation of gel while still maintaining other advantageous processing characteristics known for the prior art finish composition.

This invention provides a finish composition consisting of, by weight, about 48 to 52 parts of the condensate obtained by condensing 7 molecular portions of ethylene oxide with 1 molecular portion of a saturated secondary aliphatic alcohol containing 11 to 15 carbon atoms, about 33 to 37 parts of the triethanolamine salt of a mixture of monoand didecylorthophosphate and about 13 to 17 parts of the condensate obtained by condensing 4 molecular portions of ethylene oxide with sorbitan monolaurate. The composition is a compatible oil which does not form gel structures with water and which provides good lubricating action and protection from static electricity in the processing of polyester staple fibers. The composition has particular utility in the processing of polyester staple yarns under conditions of high relative humidity wherein the freedom from gel formation provides improved performance in the production of quality yarns.

The preferred aspect of this invention provides polyester staple fibers containing about 0.1% by weight, based on the dry weight of treated fiber of a composition consisting of, by weight 50 parts of a secondary alcoholethylene oxide condensate having the formula wherein R is a secondary alkyl group having 11 to 15 carbon atoms, 35 parts of the triethanolamine salt of a mixture of monoand didecylorthophosphate and 15 parts of an ethylene oxide condensate of sorbitan monolaurate wherein each molecule of the condensate will contain, on the average, four ethylene oxide units.

The secondary alcohol condensed with ethylene oxide is a mixture of saturated aliphatic alcohols containing from 11 to 15 carbon atoms and wherein the position of the 3,549,530 Patented Dec. 22 1970 alcohol group occurs at random on the secondary alcohol positions of the alkyl chain. Condensates of these compounds with ethylene oxide are available commercially as oily surfactants.

The finish composition of this invention is preferably applied as a dilute aqueous mixture, e.g., 1 to 5% by weight, as an aid to accuracy in the treatment of polyester fibers. Preferably, the fibers in the form of a tow are treated in a bath so as to provide the fibers with 0.05 to 1.0% by weight of the composition based on the weight of the dry, treated tow. If desired, the bath may be prepared by the addition of the individual ingredients to water.

The composition of this invention provides a homogeneous oil i.e., an oil in which the ingredients are compatible with each other and do not intermix to form two or more phases. Further, gel structures are not formed in the presence of moisture.

While it is preferred to apply the composition of this invention in an aqueous form, it should be appreciated that, except for equilibrium amounts, the water will subsequently be removed by evaporation. Evaporation can occur during heating steps in the manufacture of the staple fibers or on storage.

In the example which serves to illustrate the invention further, all parts are by weight and all percentages are by weight based on the total weight of the components.

EXAMPLE Into a stainless steel tank there is placed 50 parts of the material obtained by condensing 7 molecular portions of ethylene oxide with 1 molecular portion of a mixture of secondary aliphatic alcohols having 11 to 15 carbon atoms, 15 parts of the material obtained by condensing 4 molecular portions of ethylene oxide with 1 molecular portion of sorbitan monolaurate, 14 parts of triethanolamine and 21 parts of a mixture of monoand didecylorthophosphate in which the ratio of monoester to diester is about 1 to 1. The ingredients are agitated slowly for 1 hour during which there is a temperature rise due to the exothermic reaction of the amine and phosphate. The homogeneous blend is cooled to room temperature for the preparation of aqueous finish. The oil base is highly insensitive to the presence of moisture as shown by the complete lack of a gel structure as small amounts of water are progressively added up to a total of 20%, by weight, of water.

5.1 parts of the oil base are then added to 194.9 parts of water at 60 C. The water is agitated so as to provide maximum turbulence without the entrainment of air. If desired, the water may be heated as high as about 70 C. The 2.55% solids aqueous finish is then used in a standard manner to produce polyethylene terephthalate staple fibers having a denier of 1.5 and a length of 1.5 inches (3.81 cm.) and containing about 0.091% of the finish solids composition.

Using similar procedures, control fibers are prepared from a commercially-used composition consisting of one part of the diethanolamine salt of a mixture of monoand dilauryl orthophosphate for each two parts of the monolaurate ester of a polyoxyethylene glycol having an average molecular weight of about 400. The oil base of this commercial composition, which consists of two phases, forms gels with moisture when tested in the manner de scribed for the compatible blend. With the exception of the finish composition, the two groups of fibers are considered to be equivalent. In converting the staple fibers into yarns using the cotton system, the fibers carrying the composition of this invention process in a very satisfactory manner. The spinning-ends-down rating on the cotton system, R at relative humidity is found to be 107, While that for the fibers carrying the commercial composition is 135.

The value for R is obtained from the formula wherein W equals the number of front roll wraps per 1000 spindle hours and B equals the number of breaks per 1000 spindle hours that do not wrap on the front rolls. It is found that fibers carrying the composition of this invention and that carrying the commercial composition have equivalent frictional and antistatic properties under the same test conditions. Thus, it is seen that the composition of this invention is superior at high relative humidity while maintaining commercially acceptable frictional and antistatic properties.

What is claimed is:

1. A fiber finish composition consisting of a compatible oil mixture of (a) about 48 to 52 parts by weight of a secondary alcohol-ethylene oxide condensate having the formula R(OCH CH OH where R is a secondary alkyl group having 11 to 15 carbon atoms,

(b) about 33 to 37 parts by weight of triethanolamine salt of a mixture of monoand didecylorthophosphate, and

(c) about 13 to 17 parts by weight of the condensate of four molecular portions of ethylene oxide with sorbitan monolaurate.

2. A fiber finish composition as defined in claim 1 where said component (a) is present in an amount of 50 parts,

Where R is a secondary alkyl group having 11 to 15 carbon atoms,

(b) about 33 to 37 parts of triethanolamine salt of a mixture of mono-and didecylorthophosphate, and (c) about 13 to 17 parts of the condensate of four molecular portions of ethylene oxide with sorbitan monolaurate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,690,426 9/ 1954 Jefferson et a1. 2528.8 2,730,498 1/1956 Fortess et a1. 2528.8 2,805,992 9/1957 Fortess et a1. 2528.8

HERBERT B. GUYNN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

